


Second Thoughts?

by Creej



Series: A New Life [3]
Category: White Collar
Genre: F/M, Obsession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-04-04 17:17:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14024958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creej/pseuds/Creej
Summary: Elizabeth can't seem to let Peter go, especially after seeing him with another woman. She decides to see what she can do to get him back.





	Second Thoughts?

Peter lay on his side, observing Hannah as she slept beside him, still somewhat awestruck that she was there with him. It was the last thing he'd expected that day at the church, watching Neal and Elizabeth start their life together. He hadn't attended the wedding, though he'd been invited - he'd still been a little raw from Elizabeth's rejection and had wanted nothing to do with either of them. He'd literally bumped into Hannah as he was about to go home and she'd both surprised and confused him by asking him out for drinks. He'd found himself telling her how he and Neal had both dated Elizabeth until they'd told her she had to choose.

Peter reached out and lightly ran a finger over her lips, across her cheek and down her neck, causing her to stir and open her eyes. "Hey, handsome," she whispered with a smile.

"Hey, beautiful," Peter whispered back. "Sorry I woke you."

"That's okay," Hannah said, turning to face him. She slid a hand up his arm and across his chest, her touch feather light.

Peter shivered a little. "Careful M.C.," he murmured, his lips brushing hers.

"What are you going to do, G-man?" Hannah whispered, amused.

Peter pulled her tight against him, letting her feel his response. "I might skip the appetizers," he said, matching her tone.

"Mmmm, that means we'll get to dessert that much quicker." She took his mouth in a soft kiss. "And you know how much I like dessert."

Peter ran his hand down her side, pushing the sheet past the dip of her waist, the curve of her hip, enjoying the smoothness of her skin, seeing her eyes darken in the dim light of the bedroom. He moved on top of her and she opened to him, almost purring as he slid home and while they moved together, the world narrowed to just the two of them. Peter groaned softly as Hannah's fingers dug into his shoulders and his pace stuttered briefly. He took her mouth in a deep kiss as they rode the edge before falling over. Hannah kept him where he was, enjoying his weight on her as she smoothed her hands down his back. "Love you, Des," she whispered in his ear.

"Love you too, M.C.," he whispered back.

The nicknames came from the earliest days of their relationship when Peter had invited her over for dinner. Hannah had remarked that if Peter's kiss was the appetizer then she couldn't wait for the main course. Peter, being uncharacteristically bold, had replied that he would prefer her as the main course. Hannah had responded that he could be dessert. Thus the nicknames - M.C. for main course, Des for dessert. In the privacy of the apartment, they rarely called each other by their given names - Peter was either Des or G-man (since he was a Federal agent) and Hannah was M.C. with kisses being appetizers.

"Can we just stay right here all day tomorrow?" Hannah asked.

Peter chuckled. "It would be a very nice way to spend the day," he said. "But unfortunately we can't. I got the short straw so I'm stuck in the van all day."

"Anything interesting?"

"Not yet," Peter said. "The guy spends an inordinate amount of time talking to his mother and the mental images..." He shuddered for effect.

"So what's he doing that got the Bureau's attention?"

"There's evidence he's moving stolen art," Peter said. "We're hoping he'll let slip where he's holding it."

"Probably in some dank, dingy warehouse," Hannah said.

"Not if he's smart. Paintings don't hold up too well in those conditions," Peter said.

"At least you're not stuck doing paperwork," Hannah said.

"With this guy, I almost wish I was," Peter said. Reluctantly, he moved to lay beside her and pulled her against him. "We should get some more sleep. Alarm hasn't gone off yet."

Hannah settled against him, arm across his waist and, with a deep sigh, drifted back to sleep.

 

Elizabeth scowled slightly as she made breakfast, her mind on Peter and his girlfriend. It was obvious he was in love with her and Elizabeth didn't like it. She didn't know why exactly but she'd expected Peter to remain alone, stuck in some sort of emotional limbo and the fact that he hadn't irked her. Yes, she'd chosen Neal - she loved Neal, she really did - but the feeling of power she'd had knowing two men loved her and wanted her had been heady. And some darker part of her had enjoyed knowing she could hurt them. She'd hurt Peter that day and she knew it...and had liked it. But he'd recovered from her rejection and moved on, fallen in love and put her in the past. In a way, he'd rejected her and that stung.

"El? Something wrong?" Neal asked as he filled his coffee mug.

"Not really. Just some minor problems with the event I have this weekend," Elizabeth said, giving him a smile. "Nothing serious but I should get a handle on them before they get away from me."

"So, early day?" Neal asked, helping himself to her excellent French toast.

"Depends," Elizabeth said. "Hopefully. You?"

"A few consults but nothing that should take more than a few hours," Neal said. He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him, making her giggle. "Too bad we both have work to do because I'd much rather do something more enjoyable than pointing out security flaws."

"Well, if we both get home at a decent hour..." Elizabeth said with a touch of heat. "We'll both enjoy ourselves."

Neal had to head out before she did and she let her good mood drop as her thoughts went back to Peter. She didn't regret choosing Neal or marrying him but she liked having that sense of power and wanted it back. The problem was finding out who this woman was and finding a way to separate her from Peter. Since he'd cut them out of his life - to protect himself he said - they only saw him briefly in passing and Peter had reclaimed the key to his apartment so Elizabeth couldn't just let herself in anymore. She didn't even know if he'd moved. But as she thought about it when she readied to leave, she remembered Peter was a creature of habit and was rarely adventurous. He wouldn't want the major change a move would entail. It was part of what made her feel safe with him. She hadn't wanted safe though - not all the time.

As she made her way to her offices - she did have a few minor details to iron out - an idea began to form. If Peter was as in love with this woman as it appeared, there would be evidence of her in his apartment...and she thought she knew how to get in without him being the wiser.

 

When Peter got home after a solid ten hours in the van listening to their suspect drone on to his mother, his gut told him something wasn't right. It was nothing overt, just a little...off. He shook the feeling off, dropped his briefcase by the couch and loosened his tie as he went back to change. Hannah had left him a message telling him she'd be a little late so he busied himself with planning dinner. But as he looked through the cupboards and fridge, hoping for inspiration, he decided he was just too tired to make the effort and sent Hannah a short, two word text: _Takeout tonight?_

_Sounds good._

_Preference?_

_Chinese or Indian. Your choice._

Peter smiled - it was one of the many ways they were compatible - more compatible than he and Elizabeth ever were. And Hannah had brought him out of his shell, made him less conservative, less reserved, brought out his inner child - at least when he wasn't on the job. There, he was still by the book, follow the rules Agent Burke. But his fellow agents had noticed and commented favorably on the change in his demeanor since he'd met Hannah and probies and interns found him more approachable, were less wary around him.

He'd just grabbed a beer and dropped onto the couch when his phone chimed with an incoming text: _On my way. Be home soon._ Immediately, he called their preferred Chinese place and ordered their favorites.

"Hey Des," Hannah said as she came in, sounding and looking a little tired. She perked up when Peter handed her a beer and gave her a kiss. "Appetizer?" she asked.

"More where that came from," Peter said. "I went ahead and got Chinese. Should be here soon. Now sit. Relax."

"First time I've been able to sit all day," Hannah said with a soft groan as she settled on the couch. "My feet are killing me."

Peter sat at the other end, turning her so her feet were in his lap and removed her shoes and socks. She groaned again when he pressed his thumbs into the arch of her foot, working his way from heel to ball. He smirked a little impishly as he raised her foot to his mouth and ran his tongue along the underside of her toes, causing her to jerk away.

"Des! Stop!" she giggled, totally ruining the stern tone she'd been trying for.

There was a knock on the door and Peter turned her loose. "Lucky for you the food's here," he said, rising.

Minutes later, they were settled on the couch, feeding each other bites of curried chicken and shrimp with lobster sauce but when Hannah slid a spring roll into her mouth, well...Peter had no choice but to pin her down and ravish her mouth as he rubbed against her. "You are such a tease," he whispered.

"Doesn't have to be a tease," Hannah said with a smirk but her eyes were dark with arousal.

"You're right, it doesn't," Peter said, moving down as he unbuttoned her blouse, kissing her skin as it was exposed, dipping his tongue into her belly button, making her huff out a laugh. With a deft flick of his fingers, he popped the button on her jeans and pulled them open and down past her hips. Placing his mouth over her mons, he breathed out, warning the delicate skin under the fabric of her panties.

Hannah breathed out as well, almost a sigh then her breath hitched as she felt Peter's tongue dip under the edge of her panties. "I thought you didn't want teasing," she said unsteadily.

In response, Peter peeled off her jeans and panties before burying his head between her legs and taking a long taste. Hannah arched her back as her fingers ran through his hair, feeling her climax build under his talented tongue, his strong but gentle hands holding her firmly in place.

Peter stayed with her as she bucked and squirmed through her climax then took one last taste. He moved over her, ignoring his own arousal, to murmur, "See, not teasing."

"My turn," Hannah said, somehow rolling them over so Peter was on his back. She ran a hand down his chest to cup him through his jeans before freeing him. It still surprised her occasionally when she saw how...endowed he was but she couldn't deny how good he felt inside her. She straddled him, guiding him into her before leaning forward to claim his mouth for a moment. She proceeded to ride him slowly, watching him fight for control, feeling her own release build. Suddenly, he grasped her by the hips and held her still, his hips jerking as he emptied himself inside her. He stroked his thumb across her clit once, twice and she shuddered through her own release before collapsing onto him.

"Feel better?" Peter asked, brushing her hair back.

"Mmmm, much better," Hannah said. She sighed, sounding content. "I'm going to sleep right here," she said. "You mind?"

In response, Peter pulled the afghan from the back of the couch and covered them both. "We might be more comfortable with fewer clothes on though," he said.

"You just want to see me naked," Hannah said with a hint of amusement.

"I certainly don't mind it," Peter said.

"Well, if I have to get up anyway..." Hannah said, sitting up. "But I'm still using you as a pillow."

Peter sat up as well and cupped her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks as he took her mouth in a soft kiss. "I know it's still early but we've both had a long day so what say we go to bed?"

"Yeah."

Peter stood and set her on her feet, gathering their clothes then headed back to the bedroom.

 

Elizabeth sat in the dining room, drumming her pen on the mostly blank page in her planner. Her mind wasn't on the event she was organizing but on the information she'd managed to get on Peter's girlfriend. She'd been very careful not to disturb anything but if she had, she made sure to put it back as it was. From what she'd been able to find out, her name was Hannah Davenport and she and Peter were living together. From the picture Peter had of them, Elizabeth knew Hannah was nothing like her in appearance - green eyes instead of blue, blonde hair instead of brunette, slender rather than curvy. Objectively, Elizabeth admitted the other woman was beautiful...which made her dislike her that much more. What did Hannah have that she didn't? Pulling up her laptop, she searched the Web to see what else she could find about Peter's new flame. It turned out that Hannah was thirty-two years old - younger than Elizabeth - born in Brooklyn and owned her own catering service. Elizabeth scowled at reading the positive reviews but their professional paths were unlikely to cross. Hannah's business focused mainly on corporate functions while Elizabeth rarely had corporate clients. Of course, if she used Hannah's service, she might find the wedge she needed. Perhaps for her next client since she already had a caterer for her current one. Her next thought was to find out if there was any dirt on this Hannah Davenport - she could do it since she had background checks run on almost everyone she subcontracted so such a request wouldn't be unusual. The expense, she thought, would be worth it if she could remove the other woman from the picture. She didn't know when she'd decided Peter was exclusively hers but she had, she'd liked thinking he was alone, waiting on the sidelines, hoping for something she had no intention of giving him. If that made her a bad person, she decided she could live with it.

 

"It's about damned time," Peter muttered to himself but not so quietly that the agent with him didn't hear. Their suspect had finally slipped and had mentioned a storage facility where he kept "some hot property."

"I hear you," the other agent, Morrison, said. "If I had to listen to him go on about his mother's bunions one more time, I was seriously considering going up there and putting my foot up his ass."

"You'd have had to stand in line..." Peter said, stretching the kinks out of his back with a grimace. "As it is, I may sue him for my chiropractor expenses. This damned chair..."

"Well, we can go back to the office now at least," Morrison said. "We have to put in the request for the warrant...and the chairs are more comfortable."

Peter grinned and they started shutting down their equipment. After this stint on surveillance, he was looking forward to something exciting - like money laundering.

 

Elizabeth froze, hearing the apartment door open. She didn't know what had possessed her to once more break into Peter's apartment...and plant bugs. She knew she was obsessed with him but couldn't seem to help herself. Right now, she was in the bedroom, having placed a bug in the lamp on Peter's side of the bed. She stood stock still as she listened to someone - probably Hannah from the tread - move around the living room, wondering how she was going to get out undetected. She was saved when she heard a phone ring, then: "Hey Des...Really? That's great..." A chuckle. "I'll give you a back rub when you get home...I just got home myself but sure. Where?" Another chuckle, this time lower, more intimate. "Well, you know I like your appetizers better. All right, meet you there in a few."

Elizabeth let out a slow sigh of relief when she heard the door close, calming her heart rate. She waited long enough to be sure Hannah was gone before leaving the apartment and hurrying to her car. There, she sat for a few long minutes, again wondering what had gotten into her. She had Neal, had what she wanted - which should have been enough - but she wanted Peter back at her heels. For some reason, having Neal wasn't quite enough for her. She buried her face in her hands, knowing she should go back and remove the bugs she'd planted but she couldn't bring herself to. She justified it by telling herself she was curious about the obvious nickname Hannah had used while talking to Peter. It was a flimsy justification and she knew it. She felt a rush of jealousy at the thought - Peter and Hannah had nicknames for each other, their own private language, probably, ordinary words that meant something different between them. She and Neal didn't have that. They had the usual endearments - honey, sweetheart, babe and sometimes Neal called her El - but Peter and Hannah had something...deeper. And she wanted that. Or at the very least, she didn't want Hannah having it with Peter.

 

When they got home, Hannah pushed Peter into the bedroom. "Now for that back rub I promised," she said. "Take off your shirt and lay down."

"Yes ma'am," Peter said, amused, stripping off his shirt. He lay down in the middle of the bed on his stomach, his head pillowed on his hands. A few minutes later, her felt Hannah straddle his hips and heard the pop of a bottle opening.

Putting a dollop of lotion in her palm, Hannah rubbed it between her hands to warm it before applying it to Peter's well muscled back. Starting at the small of his back, she pressed the heels of her hands down firmly, feeling and hearing a faint crack and heard Peter sigh.

"Did I ever tell you that you have magic hands, M.C.?" he said.

"A couple times," Hannah said. She worked a few minutes then said, "Damn Des, you're all knotted up. Do you have an actual chair in the van or some sort of torture device?"

"It's supposed to be a chair but personally, I'm leaning toward torture device," Peter said.

Hannah worked her way up his back to his shoulders and neck, feeling him relax under her, admiring the way his muscles moved under the skin. "No going to sleep on me," she said. "You promised me appetizers."

Peter raised his head to look back at her, his gaze a little heated. "You can have those anytime you want," he said.

"I want one now," Hannah said, leaning down and, despite the odd angle, took his mouth in a deep kiss.

Peter moved under her, rolling over to lay on his back, his arms winding around her as the kiss deepened further.

 

Elizabeth dug the earpiece out, setting it aside almost as if it had burned her - she didn't want to hear them making love. Again she'd heard what were nicknames - Des, M.C., appetizers. They could mean anything and she hated not knowing. And she was no closer to finding the wedge she wanted - they were almost disgustingly in love. She snatched the earpiece and slipped it into her pocket as the door opened and she quickly called up her schedule as Neal came in. "Hey hon," she said, giving him a smile.

"Hey sweetheart," Neal said, dropping a kiss on her mouth before pouring himself a glass of wine. "Everything straightened out?"

"That was my last event," Elizabeth said. "You can usually keep these things straight."

"Yeah, sorry," Neal said with a sigh. "It's just been nonstop consults for the last few weeks."

"Starting to blur together," Elizabeth said. "I know what you mean."

"So what's this next one?" Neal asked, gesturing to her laptop.

"Corporate," Elizabeth said. "Guest list is a bit...eclectic. Company president, CEOs, shareholders, some FBI agents, ASACs, even a Section Chief."

"You have the guest list?"

"No specific names," Elizabeth said. "Just a general list."

Neal regarded her a moment then asked, "Hoping Peter will be there?"

"It would be nice to see him again," Elizabeth said. "He's been...distant since that day..."

"Do you blame him?" Neal asked.

"No, I don't," Elizabeth said. "Not really but to just...cut us out of his life like that."

"He was hurt, El," Neal said. "But if he's found someone, we should be happy for him."

"I am," Elizabeth said, the lie rolling easily off her tongue.

Neal gave her a nod then changed the subject. "Takeout tonight?"

"Sounds good. Go ahead and call."

 

A few days later, Hannah came in, frowning a little as she sorted the mail. "Hey Des?"

"Yeah, M.C.?" Peter asked, emerging from the bathroom.

"This invitation," Hannah said. "Any idea?"

Peter took it from her, groaning a little when he read the details. "We closed down a major embezzlement operation for them," he said. "Company had lost millions, so did their subsidiaries so..."

"This is a thank you," Hannah said. She peeked around to read it. "Oooh, plus one," she said. "Any idea who you'll take?"

Peter's tone was serious but his mouth twitched in a smile as he said, "Only the most beautiful woman in the city...my probie, Diana." He dropped the invitation on the coffee table and pulled her against him. "You're my plus one," he said. "You'll always be my plus one." He gave her a light kiss. "And my appetizer." Another kiss. "And my main course." Another. "And my dessert."

"So, when do I get to show off the most handsome G-man in the Bureau?" Hannah asked.

"This weekend," Peter said. "Is when I get to show off the most beautiful woman in the world."

 

"Stop fiddling with it Des," Hannah said, batting his hands away and straightened his tie again.

"This is why I don't like black tie events," Peter said. "I don't like...schmoozing."

"Well, leave the schmoozing to me then," Hannah said. She stood back, looking at him appreciatively. "I must say you look fantastic in a tux, G-man."

"And you look gorgeous," Peter said.

Hannah looked down at herself - the off white ankle length gown that left one shoulder bare and clung to her curves. Her hair was swept up in a simple but elegant chignon and, completing the look, silver sandals with low heels. "Shall we go schmooze?" she asked.

 

Elizabeth looked out over the guests, subconsciously scanning the room for Peter. She hadn't seen him yet but there were a number of tall, dark haired men in tuxes. She saw Neal working the room and charming the ladies but paid him no mind. She turned her attention to the servers circulating among the guests with trays loaded with appetizers and glasses of champagne, noting that some were getting low. She saw a number of guests turn their attention toward the door and looked herself. And there was Peter with the striking blonde she'd seen him with before. Again she felt the burn of jealousy. Peter was hers. How dare this woman think she could have him? She resolved to set the record straight before the evening was over - she would just have to bide her time.

 

Neal saw Peter about the same time Elizabeth did and almost hesitantly approached him, unsure of his reception. "Peter," he said cautiously. "You're looking well." To his surprise - and relief - Peter greeted him with a smile.

"Neal," Peter said. "I'd like you to meet Hannah Davenport. Hannah, this is Neal Caffrey."

"Charmed," Neal said, brushing a kiss across her fingers. "I must say you look lovely."

"Thank you, Mr. Caffrey," Hannah said with a smile.

"Neal, please."

"Elizabeth?" Peter asked.

"Over there," Neal said, indicating a spot over by the kitchen.

They turned to see Elizabeth directing the servers and Peter admitted objectively that she looked gorgeous - her black floor length dress, slit to the hip, daringly low neckline that left her shoulders bare and clung to her generous curves, the four inch stilettos that showed her legs to advantage, her upswept hair accentuating the column of her neck.

They saw Elizabeth come toward them, a smile fixed on her face and something in Peter's gut twinged. There was something off about it. When she joined them, he once more made introductions, observing her without seeming to. He could tell Hannah noticed something was off when she stiffened slightly beside him. As soon as he could, he excused them.

"I don't think she likes me," Hannah said in a low voice.

"Yeah, I got that too," Peter said. "Don't worry about it M.C. I doubt we'll run into her that often."

"Now Neal...I like him," Hannah said. "He's...charming."

"And handsome," Peter said.

"Not as handsome as you, Des," Hannah said, slipping her arm through his.

"I'm glad you think so."

"Trust me, you are. And I'm not the only woman looking at you, you know."

"You're the only one who counts," Peter said.

 

Elizabeth watched them walk off, glad that Neal's attention had been claimed by the security officer of some company or other. There were times he was entirely too observant for her liking. Despite herself, she had to admit they made a nice couple, contrasting light to dark, broad to slender, tall to a little petite.

As the evening progressed, she kept an eye on them, easily able to split her attention between them, Neal and her duties as organizer, still watching for her chance to brace Hannah, let her know she'd encroached on forbidden territory. It finally came when she saw Hannah head toward the ladies room.

 

Hannah glanced in the mirror as the door opened and saw Elizabeth enter then, unexpectedly, lock the door behind her. "Mrs. Caffrey?"

Elizabeth looked her over, her gaze almost insulting. "Let me make one thing perfectly clear,' she said. "Peter's mine so hands off."

"Excuse me?" Hannah asked, confused.

"Peter's mine," Elizabeth repeated then went on, her voice low and angry. "He wasn't supposed to move on, find someone else and he certainly wasn't supposed to fall in love. He's not supposed to love anyone else, just me. So, if you know what's good for you, back off!"

If she was hoping Hannah would back down, she was disappointed. "Listen, bitch," Hannah nearly hissed. "You chose someone else, _married_ someone else and you have the nerve to say he can't love anyone but you? Tough. I don't give a crap what you want. He's moved on whether you like it or not. So take your own advice and _back off!_ " She turned on her heel and unlocked the door, nearly running into Neal as she left. She glanced back at Elizabeth who sported a near classic deer in the headlight expression. "Good evening Mrs. Caffrey," she said. She found Peter - looking a little bored - and excused him from the conversation he was mostly just listening to. "How soon can we leave?" she asked in a low voice.

"What happened?" Peter asked, his gaze sharp.

Briefly, Hannah recounted her run in with Elizabeth, seeing his expression darken as she did. "Let me talk to her," he said. "Where is she?"

"I don't think that will be necessary, Des," she said. "I'm pretty sure Neal heard what she said."

Peter looked determined for a moment then said, "Get your coat. I think it's safe enough for us to leave. If not, well, I can claim a heavy caseload."

 

"Neal..."

"I'll see you at home, Elizabeth," Neal said, his tone and expression neutral. He turned to leave before she could respond. Automatically, he made his goodbyes and went home, the conversation he'd overheard between Hannah and his wife replaying in his head. He could tell Hannah was pissed - she had every right to be. As for himself, he was still a little numb.

"I can't believe that bitch!" Hannah ranted when she and Peter got home, pacing the living room. "After what she did to you, to expect you to..."

"Hey, M.C." Peter said, interrupting her. He pulled her into his arms, placing her hand on his chest, over his heart. "This belongs to you. Never doubt that. Elizabeth's in the past. You're my present and my future." He tilted her chin up. "I love you M.C., not Elizabeth." He sat down, pulling her into his lap. "That day, in that church parking lot," he went on. "Was the best day of my life. Because I wasn't watching where I was going and bumped into this beautiful woman with gorgeous green eyes who, for some reason, took an interest in me." He kissed her softly. "It was that day I got over Elizabeth," he said. "And fell hopelessly in love with you." His mouth quirked in a smile. "It just took me a while to realize it. You know I can be a little slow sometimes."

"I love you too, Des," Hannah said, leaning against him. "It's just...she just pissed me off, telling me to back off like she had every right to. Like you were her personal property or something. She has Neal, just like she wanted but she expected you to just wait for her."

"But I didn't," Peter said. "I knew months beforehand that she didn't want me," He let out a breath. "Now, enough about her," he said. "I'm with who I want to be with and that won't change, okay? Come on, it's late and as much as I like you in this dress, I'd like you much better out of it." He smiled when she huffed out a laugh and stood, pulling him to his feet.

"Come on, G-man," she said. "I'd like you much better out of the tux."

"You just want to see me naked," Peter teased as they went into the bedroom.

Hannah gave him an arch look but didn't deny it. "I certainly don't mind," she said.

 

Elizabeth let herself in with some trepidation when she got home, finding the apartment dark except for a lamp by the couch. Neal sat there, a tumbler of Scotch in hand, his face in shadow. "Neal, honey?" she said, hesitantly.

Neal contemplated his drink a moment before taking a sip. "You know, before tonight, I never had cause to doubt you," he said. "But then, I find out you still want Peter, expected him to...stay stuck, I guess." He paused, swallowing. "Is that how it is, Elizabeth? You want Peter, not me?" Before she could answer, he reached into his pocket and held something up in the lamplight. "How long have you been spying on them Elizabeth?" he asked. "Or, more importantly, what were you hoping to learn?"

"I can explain..."

"Can you?" Neal asked. When she remained silent, he reached for his phone.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to call Peter and tell him he has a bug problem," Neal said. "Maybe, if you're lucky, he won't charge you with illegal wiretapping and breaking and entering. How many and where?"

 

Peter groaned when his cell rang. Irritated, he answered. "Burke."

"Des?" Hannah asked, concerned when Peter suddenly frowned and sat up. "Des..."

"She what?" Peter asked, his voice deceptively calm but Hannah could see his anger. He listened a few more minutes then said, "Thank you Neal. I'll let you know if I decide to move forward." He was silent for a moment as he calmed down then said, somewhat unnecessarily, "That was Neal. Seems we had some uninvited company while we were out. Elizabeth..."

"What did she do?" Hannah asked dangerously.

"She bugged us," Peter said. "Neal found the earpiece."

"She _bugged_ us?" Hannah fumed. "I knew I should have decked her..."

Peter turned on his lamp and clearly saw the bug now that he was looking for it. "This one, one in the lamp by the couch, another in the bathroom over the medicine cabinet and one in the kitchen by the microwave...that one's probably fried."

"How long has she been listening?" Hannah asked, going into the bathroom.

"Neal said almost two months," Peter said, heading into the living room then the kitchen even if that one was nonfunctional. Once he had all of them, he piled them on the kitchen counter and smashed them with a heavy glass, wishing Elizabeth could hear the feedback.

"What will you do?" Hannah asked.

"I _could_ have her charged," Peter said. "Illegal wiretapping is a felony."

"Will you?"

Peter sighed. "I don't know yet," he said. "Part of me has to think of Neal, what it would do to him to see her carted off to prison."

"I imagine he's hurting a little," Hannah said. "Finding out his wife wants someone else, not able to let go." She sighed. "You can decide in the morning...or whenever. Let's go back to bed."

 

Neal stood outside Peter's building, knowing he wasn't there. But he didn't want to talk to Peter - at least not yet. The night of the event had made him question everything he knew about Elizabeth but even she couldn't adequately explain her actions and whether he stayed with her depended in part on whether Peter and Hannah decided to press charges or not. Finally, he let out a breath and went inside, pausing a moment before he knocked. The door opened almost immediately.

"I was wondering if you were just going to stand out there," Hannah said. "Come in."

"I don't really know why I'm here, honestly," Neal said, sitting when she gestured to the couch. "Maybe I was hoping you could help me understand why she did it." He scrubbed his face. "I thought she loved me."

Hannah regarded him a moment then disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a bottle of wine and two glasses. "I don't think it's about love, really," she said, pouring each of them a glass. "Here, you look like you could use this." Neal smiled his thanks and she continued. "I think it might have been the ego trip. She had two men in love with her but she had to choose one. It fed her ego to think the one she didn't choose wouldn't or couldn't find someone else."

"But bugging you two..."

"It was very clear to me that she thought I invaded her territory, took something she considered hers," Hannah said. "My guess is she was trying to find something that would get Peter to leave me and go back to her. And she was angry. Angry that Peter had moved on, angry that she didn't have both of you in love with her...and anger can make us do crazy things."

Neal nodded thoughtfully as he sipped his wine, absently noting it was a decent vintage. "So, have you decided to press charges?" he asked.

"Peter hasn't decided yet," Hannah said. "The FBI agent in him is telling him he should - she did commit a crime - but part of him doesn't want to because she once meant something to him. We'll have to see which side wins, I guess. And what will you do?"

"I don't know yet," Neal said. "I've been asking myself that question ever since and I'm no closer to an answer." He sat back, seeming to shake the question off. "So, how did you and Peter meet?" he asked.

"We literally bumped into each other," Hannah said. "He was at the church where you and Elizabeth got married - the day you got married - and I'd parked there when I was visiting my aunt. He claims it was his fault, not watching where he was going but neither was I. After he helped me pick up my stuff, I asked him out for drinks." She shrugged, the rest being obvious. "And you? How did you and Elizabeth meet?"

"Believe it or not, Peter introduced us," Neal said. "he knew I was attracted to her, I knew he was so we agreed that we'd both date her."

"Ah, so eventually you told her she had to pick one of you," Hannah said.

Neal nodded. "I assume Peter told you the story," he said.

"He did," Hannah said. "I know he was hurt but he also told me he'd known for months that you were the one she really wanted."

"I have to wonder about that," Neal said. "I have to wonder why I wasn't good enough, why she felt she had to have Peter in her orbit too."

"I wish I could tell you," Hannah said. "You seem like a nice guy from what I know of you." She paused. "You do know that Peter doesn't hate you, right? He told me that night that the only reason he distanced himself from you was because seeing you two together would hurt too much."

"So he loved her too," Neal said.

"I think he did," Hannah said. "But not as much as he let himself believe."

Neal set his glass down and rubbed his eyes and Hannah saw how very tired he was. Tired and weary. "I should go," he said with a sigh. "Thank you for speaking with me...and I'm sorry. For Elizabeth."

"You didn't do anything Neal," Hannah said. "So no need to apologize." She let out a breath. "And I can tell you're exhausted and I'd feel horrible if something happened to you because of it. Go, get some sleep."

"But Peter..."

"I'll explain. He'll understand so don't worry."

In testament of how tired he was, Neal acquiesced and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Hannah pulled out her phone and sent a quick text: _Call me when you can._

Minutes later, the phone rang. "M.C., what is it? Did Elizabeth...?"

"No, it's not Elizabeth, Des," Hannah said. "It's Neal." Briefly, she told him about their talk, how he'd apologized for Elizabeth and how tired he was, how she'd let him use their bed to get some sleep. "I don't think he's gotten much since he found out," she said. "I couldn't let him leave like that."

"No, it's okay," Peter said. "I understand."

"He wants to know if you're going to press charges."

Peter sighed and she could almost see him rubbing his eyes. "No, I'm not," he said. "Technically I have no evidence since I destroyed the bugs."

"I'll let him know when he wakes up," Hannah said then hesitated. "You sure you don't mind?"

"No, I don't mind, M.C.," Peter said. "I'd have done the same. He's a good man. Let him sleep as long as he needs to and, if necessary, we'll feed him dinner."

"We will anyway," Hannah said. "Well, I'll let you go, get back to all those exciting cases you have."

Peter laughed softly. "I wish," he said. "I should be out of here at a decent hour. Love you."

"Love you too, Des."

 

Neal woke up, disoriented by his surroundings. He wasn't in his bed at home, Elizabeth wasn't beside him. Elizabeth. Immediately, he remembered what he'd heard the night of the event - how Elizabeth had told Hannah to back off, that Peter was hers, that he wasn't supposed to find someone else and fall in love. Then later, finding the earpiece semi-secreted in the kitchen - probably put there hurriedly - and making the instant connection. Something, his gut maybe, had told him that she'd been listening in on Peter and Hannah. Confronting her and hearing her confession. He still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that she'd admitted she felt she deserved to have Peter pining for her even though she had no intention of giving him what he'd wanted. She was jealous of Hannah for having what she wanted, jealous that Peter was so obviously happy and in love - and not with her.

He became aware of voices out in the living room, realizing it was late when he heard Peter. He sat up and rubbed his face, feeling better but still somewhat lost. And he still didn't know what to do about Elizabeth.

 

Peter looked up from the case file when the bedroom door opened and Neal emerged. "Hey, how you doing?" he asked softly.

"I've been better," Neal said, sitting beside him. He bit his lip, dropping his gaze. "Listen, Peter..."

"No need to thank me, Neal," Peter said. "I can only imagine how rough it is for you."

"I thought I was enough," Neal said. "Then I hear that I'm not, not really." He paused a moment, looking lost. "Is it just an ego thing? Like Hannah said?"

"It could be," Peter said. "I think it's the best explanation." He sat back. "If so, I think I understand it," he said. "If you had two women in love with you, wouldn't it be a boost to your ego?"

"But if I chose one, I'd be able to let the other one go," Neal said. "Obviously, Elizabeth didn't. I mean hell, she bugged this place..."

"In some ways, a woman's ego is more fragile," Hannah said from the kitchen. "I mean, look at what we do to get a man's attention, to show other women we're better than them. Elizabeth was happy when she thought Peter was still alone. She thought no one could take her place in his life...then she finds out she was wrong and her ego took a major hit."

"Hannah told me you apologized," Peter said. "But Elizabeth is the one who should. You didn't do anything."

"Speaking of Elizabeth, are you going to press charges?" Neal asked. "I know she's guilty of illegal wiretapping and that it's a felony. You could put her away for years."

"I could but I won't," Peter said.

"Why not?" Neal asked, surprised.

"Mainly because I destroyed the bugs, so no evidence," Peter said. "And the three of us have a history - not all of it smooth - but after what you found out...I didn't want you to go through seeing your wife tried and convicted.." He regarded the man he still considered a friend. "Have you decided?"

"I think..." Neal sighed. "I want to make it work. I want to try anyway. I _do_ love her..."

"Neal, Des, time to eat," Hannah said.

"Des?" Neal asked, curious.

Peter's mouth quirked as they rose. "Inside joke," he said. "I'll tell you about it one day."

"I look forward to it," Neal said. Seeing the obvious affection and love between Peter and Hannah he added, "You're a lucky man, Peter."

"Yeah...I know."

 

Epilogue

 

"Elizabeth...we need to talk."

"I know."

"And you also know that I was hurt when I found out I wasn't enough for you, that you still wanted Peter, that you were Jealous and angry that he'd moved on. You made me think you didn't love me, Elizabeth, so I have to ask: do you?"

"Of course I do," Elizabeth said." I just..." She trailed off, looking helpless. "What are you going to do?" she whispered.

Neal sighed. "I want to work through this," he said. "I want to stay...but if I do, you have to do something for me."

"What? Anything..."

"Let go of Peter," Neal said. "He's moved on, found someone to love, someone who loves him...very much. You should be happy for him."

"I am," Elizabeth said. "But I _liked_ having you both in love with me...and it hurt, thinking he just...stopped caring about me..."

"He still does, El," Neal said. "That's why he's not pressing charges." He didn't tell her that Peter wasn't more for his sake than hers. "He also destroyed the bugs you planted so he really has no evidence. But if you do it again..."

"I won't," Elizabeth said quickly.

"I don't think you can count on his forgiveness a second time," Neal finished.

"Are we okay?" Elizabeth asked.

Neal considered his answer. "I think we will be," he said.


End file.
